Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1887-04-20
81iseettameu,ts 8eadimg.
THE MURDER OF JENNIE PRICE.

THE MURDER OF JENNIE PRICE.
] was asked the other day how
many cases I had known, in my long
experience as detective, of innocent
people being convicted and punish
ed for the crimes of others. My an
swer was, "Only one," and the case
was we'll worth relating and reading.
III began my detective career in
Canada, and in a locality where JUS
tice made quick work of evil.doers.
/ had been three years in the busl-
ness, and had done some very fair
work, when a very sensational case
was put in my hands. Three miles
from the city of B. lived resi-
dent merchant named Grafton. He
had q fine mansion, elegant grounds
and plenty of money. but his wife
was an insane patient at his own
house, and his only child, a boy CT
nineteen was a half idiot. Grafton
Wasa silent partner in several con-
fssrns in thecity, butspent four-hfths
Of his time at home. His wife was
never seen, while the young man
lived more like a wild animal than
human being, the greater part of
his time being spent in the woods
and fields, no matter what the wealth
er. Grafton had as coachman, gard
ner and hired man German about
thirty-five years of age, who had
been in the country about five years
when I first saw him in the house.
There were three female servants,
and one of them was girl eighteen
years of age, named Jennie Price,
whose mother was a very respec-
table widow in the city. This
girl was allowed to go home every
other Saturday, and always rode
in with Fritz, the coachman, as he
went to market, ran home for an
hour or two, and then returned by
the same vehicle. 1t was report
ed that Fritz was in love with and
Jealous of her. Will Grafton, the
half idiot, and also taken "shine"
to her, but his intentions were laugh
ed to scorn by the pretty Jennie and
her companions.
Now, then, in the afternoon of a
certain 14th of July, several weighty
incidents occurred. Fritz received a
letter with a foreign postmark, and
was very much excited. He was seen
running to the barn with the letter
in his hand, and, ten minutes later,
was heard shouting to himself as
greatly enraged and excited. The
Servants said to each other that he
must have received bad news but
none of them went to investigate
and console him.
1t was Jenny's day to 20 home,
but Grafton was indisposed. Fritz
suddenly disappeared, and Will was
not allowed to drive the horses. The
girl, therefore decided to set out on
foot and take her chances of getting
lift on the road. She left at three
o'clock in the afternoon and was to
return by noon next day. Saturday
night it was discovered that Fritz
had left the house and locality, not
even asking for his wages, while
Will had set off on one of his erratic
excursions, having been seen by the
cook to pack up some provisions.
Jennie did not return on Sunday
or Monday or Tuesday, and Grafton
drove into town on Wednesday and
sent a message to her house. She
bh,l not been home, and an investi-
CATION revealed the fact that none
of her friends had seen her for two
weeks. In an hour / learned all
the incidents related above. Graf
ton was very anxious in the matter,
telling me TO spare no expense. but
when I began to question Will the
Young man turned on his heel and
walked off as if deaf and dumb. /,
however, had chance to look
him over for couple of minutes,
and I made note of several things.
A button had been torn off his coat
with such force as to tear the cloth,
he had two scratches on his right
cheek and one on the right hand.
One finger on the left hand was tied
up in rag, and the cook, who tied
it up for him, told me that something
had bitten him severely.
It was a quarter of a mile from
the house to the highway: This
road was taken by any of the SER
wants who were going to town on
foot. BY making a cut through the
woods they saved at least half 4 mile
in distance. The girl Jennie had
been seen to take that path on that
Saturday, and my search lay in that
direction. The woods covered about
ten acres and were not underbrushed.
The path was we'll defined, and was
a romantic walk for summers day,
the forest being alive with hares,
squirrels and birds.
Half way through the wood the
path traversed dell about half an
acre in extent. 1t was while cross
ing this that 1 got my first clue.
Several feet to the right Ofthe path
was Jennie's parasol, and as picked
it up found that it had been badly
broken. While it was closed, as
she would not be likely to carry it
open through the woods, four ribs
were broken and the handle loosen
ed, and 1 felt certain that she had
used it as a weapon of defense. Fiji.
ty feet further on. and right in the
path, l found her handbag. Across
the del, in the thick woods again,
I found bow from her throat on a
bush, and here the earth had been
torn up and bushes broken down to
prove 4 struggle. 1t was one which
must have lasted for some time and
been fiercely contested, and had no
longer looked over the ground that
I knew that Jennie's dead body
would be found somewhere in the
woods. AS to the locality l soon
found broken twigs-a bit of dress
on bush-heavy boot prints in the
rich soil, and other plain evidences
of her being dragged or carried along
through the underground to a point
twenty rods from the path. There in
an open space not more than twenty
feet square, with a thicket on both
sides, / found the body. Decomposi-
ton had setin, of course, and the odor
greeted my nostrils before my eyes
made the discovery.
That a murder had been commit
ted there could be no doubt. The
girl lay on her back, one hand clutch
ed a stout stick, the other had a dy-
ing clutch on a button-,just a match
for those left on Will Grafton's coat.
She had been choked to death and
was horrible sight, her eyes wide
open, her tongue out, and a look of
| :. <>. Lo~ bIoo tod fora nyorn-